Gun lock



Dec. 24, 1929. A H, DYKES 1,741,125

GUN LOCK Filed July 30. 1927 5' mid, Y'

y 7 E H5295.'

Patented Dec. 24, 1929 ALBERT H. DYKES, OF REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONEPHALF TO CARROLL B. DAY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS GUN LOCK Application led July 3i), 1827.

My invention relates to firearms, and more particularly aims to provide an improved and simplified lock mechanism for pluralbarrel guns, it being especially adapted for use with double-barrel shot-guns.

ln the drawings illustrating by Way of example one embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a left side elevation of the gun 'frame and breech portion, partly in vertical section and With the stock removed, both hammers being in cocked position;

Fig. 2 is a left side elevation, on a larger scale, of the trigger mechanism of Fig. 1, one barrel, the left as illustrated, having been tired by the corresponding trigger Which as shown is assumed still to be retained in pulled position by finger pressure upon it;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but with the parts in the relative position occupied after the finger pressure has been released from the pulled-7 trigger of Fig. 2 and the other barrel tired by pull on either trigger;

Fig. l is a detail plan view of a part hereinaiter termed the ilocking lever; and

Fig. 5 a detail view in iront elevation of a part to be termed herein the interceptor.

Mv invention is useful in connection 'with any 'plural-barrel gun but tor the purposeof illustration l have shovfn it in connection with a double-barrel shot-gun, Which'may be of any desired or usual construction and may be oi the so called hammer or hammerless type. In Fig. 1 l have shown, more or less conventionally, suhicicnt of the usual gun parts as will be necessary to an understant ing of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and irst to said Fig. l, the lock-casing or'lirame is indicated at 1, and the rear of' the barrels at 2, the usual breech lever or barrellocking lever being shown at 3. rlhc hammers l2-l 'for the respective barrels are p c-ted in the casing at 5. Each hammer. provided with a bent or cockmg notch (l with Wnich the forward end or nose 7 of the corresponding sear S engages to hold the hammer cocked.

Each hammer is so lconstructed and arranged that the distance from the hammer Serial No. 209,524.

pivot 5 to the bottom of the cooking notch 6 is less than the distance from said hammer pivot to thesurface of the hammer portion 9 against which its sear nose rests in the dovvn or iired position of the hammer. These proportionate distances may be provided either by forming a deeper cooking notch than is customary or by supplying extra material upon the hammer, forming a nub 0r projection atthe portion 9 in the manner illustrated in the drawings. By reason of the described hammer construction the rear end or tail 1.0 oi" each scar Will occupy a higher position when its hammer is down or lired than when the latter is up or'cocked; see Fig. 2. Aside' from the trigger mechanism proper this change in the hammer construction. which may be readily clfected in either of the manners stated, is the only modilication or any standard gun part necessary in connection with my invention. In Fig. 1 the main spring or hammer spring, the cocking lever, the sear spring and other parts not necessary herein to illustrate have'been omitted for the sake of clcarness.

Upon the trigger plate 11, which may be of the u.V ral form, is mounted the customary block or trigger box 12. The left and right hand trigger blades 13 and 14 respectively are pivoted at their forward ends in said trigger boX in the usual manner, as at 15, the lett trigger' being provided with a linger piece 1G and the right trigger with the linger piece 17. Each trigger is formed with searstep or sear-tail-engaging portion 18, in the usual manner.

In accordance With my present invention the two triggers are inter-connected, and in a manner permitting either trigger first to move independently of the other and thereafter to move said other or said other may he moved by engagement of the linger directly With it. Thilo any suitable connecting means between the triggers may be employed for this purpose, I have illustrated a pin 19 near the rear end of one trigger, herein the right trigger, projecting laterally and extending into a slot 20 in the adjacent portion ot the other trigger, her-ein that at the left. Said pin and slot are so constructed and proportioned that with both hammers cocked the pin stands about midway of the slot and during the first pull of either trigger the pin and slot have no operative engagement, but the pin and one end wall of the slot become engaged at the end of said first pull so that upon subsequent pull of 'either trigger, when the other parts to be described permit, the unlired hammer will be released. lt will be understood that the slot may be formed in i.. r trigger and the pin positioned` upon the or ier, and l have shown the pin on the l J ight trigger and the slot in the left me'rely tion.

Associated with the triggers and their sears I providean improved and simplified means for controlling the trigger action, whereby the trigger pulled in firing the first barrel must be released before said trigger can be pulled to fire the other' barrel, thus preventing the occurrence of d oubling.7 It will be understood that by reason of the described construction both barrels may be fired by means of either trigger alone, or they may be iired each by its own trigger. By pulling rst the left trigger the left barrel will be fired first, and then either a second pull on said left trigger or pull of the right trigger will lire the right barrel. The reverse firing sequence occurs by use of the right trigger first. No special setting orswitching of any part isv required to permit the firing of either or both barrels and in either sequence.

Supported upon and projecting rearwardly from the trigger box 12 is a bracket 23 near the rear portion of which is pivotally supported as at 24 a member 25 which will hereinafter be termed the interceptor. Said interceptor 25, seen in detail in front elevation in Fig. 5, includes a forwardly projecting arm 26 between which and the adjacent portion of the bracket 23 bears a suitable spring of any desired type, herein illustrated as a coil spring 27. Said interceptor also includes a depending yoke-shaped portion the two legs 28, 28 of which each terminate in a nose 29 adapted at certain times respectively to be engaged in the interceptor notch 30 of the corresponding trigger blade, immediately forward of the Sear-step 1S. As illustrated, see Fig. 5, the two nose portions 29 are cross, connected. The forward edge of the interceptor, that is, toward the left in the drawings, is formed with a curved or cam portion 31 terminating downwardly in a boss or projection 32, one at the forward edge of each leg.

It will be noted, particularly from examination of Fig. 2, that the pivot 24 of the interceptor is so located with relation to the interceptor noses 29, 29v that movement of the latter forwardly or away from the interceptor Vnotches 30, 30 of the trigger blades will immediately be along an upward or rising arc centered at said pivot point, the latter being preferably slightly to the rear of the interceptor noses when either of them 1s engaged in its notch V30.

Cooperating with said interceptor is a blocking-lever 33 pivoted at its forward end in the trigger box 12, as at 3e. Said blocking-lever, as seen in detailV in Fig. 4, has a rear end of approximately T-shape, the opposite ends of the rear or cross-piece 35 lying respectively directly above the tails 10, 10 of the two sears 8, 8. Forwardly of said cross-piece 35 the blocking-lever is provided with a pair of opposed laterally projecting shoulders 36, 36 the rear faces of which, when both hammers are cocked, lie directly in ad- Vance of and across the projections 32 of the interceptor, holding the latter rearwardly and against or adjacent the upper portion of the rear walls. of the interceptor notches, as shown in Fig. 1. At other times said shoulders may move along and in engagement with the cam portion 31 of the interceptor. The blocking-lever is urged downwardly by a suitable spring herein illustrated as a coil spring 37 intermediate said lever and the bracket 23 and designed to be somewhat stronger than the interceptor spring 27.

The operation of the lock mechanism of my invention will be understood from the foregoing' description taken in connection with the drawings. Assume that it is desired to lire first the left barrel and then the right barrel, firing bot-h by the use of one trig ger, both hammers being cocled as shown in Fig. 1. A pull upon the finger piece 16 of the left trigger lifts its trigger blade 13` carrying upwardly with it the tail 10 of the left sear 8 and also lifting the blocling lever 33, since the rearv end of the latter bears upon the sear. `When the hammer has fallen to fire the left barrel` its seartail comes to rest in a raised position substantially as shown in Fig. 2. The blocks or shoulders 36, 36 of the blocking-lever 33 have now been moved upwardly out of hori- Zontal alignment with the projections 32 on the interceptor. but so long as. the finger pressure is retained on the trigger the interceptor blocks further trigger movement, being held rearwardly by engagement of its nose 29 in the notch 30 of the left trigger blade. The interceptor in said position positively blocks and prevents further upward movement of the left trigger prior to release of the latter.

As soon as but not until the linger pressure is removed` from the left trigger the interceptor nose 29 moves forwardly out of the engaged notch in the trigger and into the position substantially as shownin Fig. 3. This movement of the interceptor is effected by its spring 27, taking place in an upward arc about the interceptor pivot '24.

lll)

In said released position of the trigger said spring Q7 is free to move the interceptor in the manner described since the blockinglever 33 is out of engagement with the interceptor, the pressure of its stronger spring 35 being sustained by the raised scar-tail l0.

Either' trigger may now be pulled to fire the right barrel. The first pull of the left trigger has brought the bottom of the slot 2O up into engagement with the pin 19 so that further pull of said left trigger will lift the right trigger by means of said pin. A pull of the right trigger will of course actuate that trigger and its sear directly. It will be understood that a similar operation takes place when the right trigger is pulled first, to fire first the right barrel, with the sole difference that the second pull of the right trigger operates on the other trigger by engagement of the pin 19 with the top of the slot 20 instead of the bottom as previously described.

W'hen the gun is re-loaded or re-cocked the sears both resume their former position with tails down, as in Fig. l. Upon such lowering of the scar-tails the blocking lever 33 returns to its position wherein its shoulders 36, 36 lie in line with the projections 32 on the interceptor, holding the latter back against the trigger. This return movement of the blocking lever is effected by its spring 37 which,

being stronger than the intercept-er spring 27, forces said shoulders 36, 36 down along the cam surface 3l at the forward edge of the interceptor, camming the latter rearwardly into position above the trigger notches 30.

It will be observed that the described trigger mechanism, which produces in effect a double single-trigger gun includes, excepting the pin 20, but three working parts and two small springs, namely the bracket 23, the interceptor 25 and the blocking-lever 3l all of which are supported upon the usual trigger' box l2. Said parts are all so positioned and are so compactly arranged that no additional cutting away of the wood of the stock is necessary, whereby the gun is in no wise weakened at its throat, its weakest portion. Moreover the provision of the described mechanism does not interfere with any existing safety mechanism, such for example as a safety lever to engage the notches .33 at the rear of the trigger blades and not necessary to illustrate herein. 4The mechanism also can readily be adapted, as by the provision of a suitable slide, for use with a single-trigger' plural-barrel gun to determine selectively the sequence of firing of the respective barrels.

In addition to the extreme simplicity of the mechanism and its marked eiiiciency in preventing doubling while permitting the firing of the barrels in any order, the mechanism is susceptible of eXtreme speed in operation. It will be noted that the release or backward movement of a` trigger after firing the first barrel is equal to only about one-half the depth of the interceptor notch 30, since the interceptor in moving forwardly into trigger releasing position lifts along the upward arc of a circle, as previously described,

thus reducing the distance through which the trigger must return upon release of the finger pressure before it can again be pulled to tire the other barrel.

My invention is not limited to the specific embodiment herein shown and described, its

scope being set forth in the following claims.

I claiml. In a lock mechanism for a double-bar- ,i relied shot-gun having a trigger plate, two

triggers and a like number of sears and hammers, a substantially vertical slot in one trigger blade and a pin on the other trigger blade projecting into said slot at about mid-length thereof in the positions of the triggers prior to firing either barrel, a trigger box on the g5 trigger plate wherein the trigger blades are pivoted, a rearwardly projecting bracket on said box, an interceptor pivoted on said bracket and lying above both trigger blades,

a spring urging said interceptor forwardly,

a blocking lever holding said interceptor rearwardly against the adjacent portions of the trigger blades in their position prior to firing either barrel, said lever having a rearward extension bearing against both seartails, an upwardly and forwardly inclined notch in each trigger blade immediately below said interceptor in said rear position thereof, whereby upon initial pull of either trigger the interceptor will engage in the 10o notch thereof and` prevent further pull of the trigger prior to release of the finger pressure thereon and will be retained in said notch during the continuance of said pressure, said interceptor spring acting to move the interceptor forwardly out of said notch to allow further pull of said trigger to fire the other barrel through said pin and slotconnection when the finger pressure on the trigger is released, said forward movement being per- 11o niitted by reason of the lifting of the blocklng-levcr out of said interceptor holding position by the raising of the tail of the sear of the barrel first fired.

2. In a lock mechanism for a double-bar- 11,5

relied shot-gun having a trigger plate, two triggers and a like number of sears and hammers, a substantially vertical slot in one trigger blade and a pin on the other trigger blade projecting into said slot at about mid-length thereof in the positions of the triggers prior to firing either barrel, a trigger box on the trigger plate wherein the trigger blades are pivot-ed, a rearwardly projecting bracket on said box, an interceptor pivoted on said firing either barrel, said lever having a rearward extension bearing against both seartails, an .upwardly and forwardly inclined notch in each trigger blade immediately below said interceptor in said rear position thereof, said blocking lever being movable out of interceptor holding position by movement of the tail of the sear of the first barrel, and spring means tending to move said blocking lever in the opposite direction to that in which it is moved by a sear-tail.

3. n a lock mechanism for a double-barrelled shot-gun having a trigger plate, two triggers and a like number of sears and hammers, a substantially vertical slot in one trig* ger blade and a pin on the other trigger blade projecting into said slot at aboutmid-length thereof in the positions of the triggers prior to firing either barrel, a trigger box on the trigger plate wherein the trigger blades are pivoted, a rearwardly projecting` bracket on said box, an interceptor pivoted on said bracket and lying above both trigger blades, a spring urging said interceptor forwardly, a blo-cking lever .holding said interceptor rearwardly against the adjacent portions of the trigger blades in their position prior to firing either barrel, said lever having a rearward extension bearing against both seartails, an upwardly and forwardly inclined notch in `each trigger blade immediately below said interceptor in said rear position thereof, whereby upon initial pull of either trigger the interceptor will engage in the notch thereof and prevent further pull of the trigger prior to release of the finger pressure thereon and will be retained in said notch during the continuance of said pressure, said interceptor spring acting to move the interceptor forwardly out of said notch to allow further pull of said trigger to fire the other barrel through said pin and slot connection when the finger pressure on the trigger is released, said forward movement being permitted by reason of the lifting of the blocking-lever out of said interceptor holding position by the raising of the tailA of the sear of the barrel first fired, and spring means to return said interceptor and blocking lever to their original positions upon recocking of the gun.

4. ln a double-barrelled shot-gun, two triggers interconnected for movement either independently or one after and by the other, an interceptor having a rear and a forward position, springmeans urging it forwardly, said interceptor in its rear position adapted to interrupt movement of either trigger when ithasfired its barrel, a blocking and positioning lever for said interceptor to position and hold it in readiness so to interrupt either trigger, and means whereby said lever releases said interceptor to permit it to assume its forward position out of the trigger path after interrupting a trigger and after nger pressure on the latter is removed. i

5. In a double-barrelled shot-gun, two triggers interconnected for movement either independently'or one after and by the other, an interceptor having a rear and a forward position, spring means urging it forwardly, said interceptor in its rear position adapted to interruptmovement of either trigger when it has fired its barrel, a blocking and positioning lever for said interceptor to position and hold it in readiness so tointerrupt either trigger, said leverhaving a portion engaging both sears whereby pull of either trigger will remove the lever from said interceptor-holding position, spring means urging said lever in the direction opposite that in which itis moved by the sear, a cam o-n the interceptor and a cooperating formation on said lever whereby, on reeocking of the mechanism, said spring means will return said lever and cause it to reposition and hold said interceptor.

6. Lock mechanism for a plural-barrelled gun comprising in combination with a sear and a hammer for each barrel, means on each hammer providing a depressed or cocked positionfor the sear-tail and a raised or fired position therefor, trigger means operable to release one or the plurality of sears successively and in one or the reverse order, an interceptor Vpositioned to engage and restrain further movement of said trigger means upon release of one sear and during continuance of the finger pressure on said trigger means, Va blocking lever engageable with said interceptor to hold it in position so to engage the trigger means and movable by the first released sear out of said interceptor-holding position, spring means to move said inten ceptor out of the path ofthe trigger means upon release of the finger pressure thereon, spring means for said blocking lever, and cooperating formations on said lever and interceptor whereby return movement of said lever by its spring means upon re-cocking of the hammers and resulting depression of the sear- Vtails Ywill return said interceptor to said position wherein it is held by said lever in readiness to engage and restrain the trigger means.

7. In a plural-barrelled firearm, trigger mechanism includinga trigger for each barrel, trigger interconnecting means whereby single pull yof one trigger will lire its barrel and either further pull of said trigger or pull of the adjacent trigger will fire the adjacent barrel, interceptor means to limit trigger movement on first pull to only that necessary to lire its barrel, and means to remove said interceptor means from trigger-movement limiting position upon release of the pulled trigger.

8. In a plural-barrelled firearm, trigger mechanism including a trigger for each barrel, trigger interconnecting means whereby single pull of one trigger will fire its barrel and either further pull of said trigger or pull of the adjacent trigger will fire the adjacent barrel, movable means positioned to engage and prevent movement of a trigger beyond that required to fire its barrel, means on the trigger retaining said movable means in said movement-preventing position While the trigger is still held by the linger, and spring means effective upon release of the trigger to remove said movable means from the path of the latter.

9. In a plural-barrelled firearm, trigger mechanism including a trigger for each barrel, trigger interconnecting means whereby single pull of one trigger will fire its barrel and either further pull of said trigger or 'pull of the adjacent trigger Will fire the adjacent barrel, movable means positioned to-engage and prevent movement of a trigger beyond that required to fire its barrel, means on the trigger retaining said movable means in said movement preventing position while the trigger is still held by the finger, spring means effective upon release of the trigger to remove said movable means from the pat-h of the latter, and spring-actuated means to return said movable means to its first position upon reL cooking of the gun.

10. In a double-barrelled shot-gun, triggers 13 and 14 interconnected for movement either independently or one after and by the other, hammers 4, 4, sears 8, 8, said hammers constructed and arranged to afford a higher position for a sear-tail lO when fired than when cocked, a pivoted interceptor 25 having portions 29, 29 engageable in notches 30, 30 in the respective triggers, spring means 27 urging said interceptor forwardly from said notches, a blocking lever having shoulders 36, 36 engageable with said interceptor to hold the latter rearwardly with said portions 29, 29 above but out of engagementwith said notches in the unfired position of the triggers, said lever 33 having a cross-piece 35 engageable by both Sear-tails, whereby either sear will lift the lever out of interceptorholding position, spring means 37 urging said lever 33 in the direction opposite that in which the Sear-tails lift, and a cam formation 3l on the interceptor engageable by said shoulders 36, 36 of the blocking lever to return the interceptor rearwardly when the mechanism is recocked.

ll. In a double-barrelled shot-gun, in combination with the lock mechanism including, for each barrel, a hammer, a sear, and a trigger, cooperating formations on each sear and hammer whereby the Sear-tail has a depressed or cocked position and a raised or fired position, each trigger operable upon the first portion of its fullrmovement to release its sear to fire its barrel, inter-trigger connections whereby either subsequent full movement of the pulled trigger or movement of the other trigger Will release the other sear to fire the other barrel, means to intercept the movement of either trigger upon completion of said first movement, and means to cause said means to free the pulled trigger for further and complete ring movement upon release of the fingerpressure thereon.

l2. In a lock mechanism for a double-ban relled gun having two triggers and a like number of sears and hammers; a lateral projection on one trigger blade and an engageable formation on the other trigger blade; a trigger-box whereon the trigger lades are pivoted; an interceptor movably supported on said trigger-box and crossing both trigger blades; a spring co-operating with said interceptor; a blocking lever causing engagement of said interceptor with the trigger blades in the position prior to firing either barrel, said lever having a portion engaging both Sear-tails; and a notch in each trigger blade adjacent said interceptor, whereby upon initial pull of either trigger the inten ceptor will engage in the notch thereof and prevent further pull of the trigger prior to release of the finger pressure thereon, said interceptor spring acting to move the int-erceptor out of said notch to allow further pull of said trigger to fire the other barrel when the finger pressure on the trigger is released.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT H. DYKES. 

